West Lothian lorry driver who raped teen in Zante to be sent back to Greece to serve jail time

Thoma McLean was trying to avoid extradition.

A West Lothian lorry driver who fled Greece after raping a woman whilst on holiday there has lost his extradition battle.

Thomas McLean,62, was convicted in his absence on the Greek island of Zante in 2017 three years after he sexually assaulted the female.

McLean, of Whitburn, claimed his legal team in the European state told him he could return to Scotland as proceedings against him had been concluded.

Thomas McLean.

But he was found guilty of the attack and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

STV News reported that lawyers for McLean attempted to halt the extradition bid.

But the report stated that Sheriff Nigel Ross told the trucker that he had flouted the law and should return to Greece to serve his time in prison. He is expected to be sent there within 17 days.

Earlier this year McLean’s victim told STV that she thought she was going to die during the attack which took place shortly after she arrived there for a break.

Last night a Crown Office spokesman confirmed that McLean was going to be extradited. However, McLean can still go to the Court of Criminal Appeal in a bid to avoid being sent there.

The spokesman added: “His extradition was ordered today at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and he was remanded in custody. He has seven days to appeal the decision.”